Norwegian hurdler defends his 400-meter world crown
Karsten Warholm remains the man to beat in the 400-meter hurdles ahead of next year’s Olympics after defending his world track championship title Monday, while Qatar celebrated the host nation’s first medal.
The Norwegian hurdler won in 47.42 seconds. He had briefly looked capable of challenging Kevin Young’s 27-year-old world record but faded on the final turn.
Abderrahman Samba delighted the Qataris in the sparse crowd with bronze behind Rai Benjamin of the United States. That sparked a stampede of fans rushing to the front of the VIP section.
Once again at these poorly attended championships, the day’s showpiece final was run in front of rows of empty seats.
Kenyan and Ethiopian fans made by far the most noise of the evening for the men’s 5,000 final but left when the distance events finished. Muktar Edris repeated as world champion ahead of fellow Ethiopian Selemon Barega.
It was the Kenyans’ turn to cheer in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase as Beatrice Chepkoech won with Emma Coburn second for the U.S.
Caster Semenya cast a long shadow over the women’s 800. The South African defending champ wasn’t running because she refuses IAAF demands to medically reduce her natural testosterone levels.
In her stead, Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi stormed to the gold medal before celebrating with exuberant dances. Ajee Wilson had to settle for silver for the United States.
Russia’s team of officially neutral athletes celebrated a second gold thanks to a third consecutive world title for high jumper Mariya Lasitskene. 9-YEAR-OLD WINS RACE HE DIDN’T ENTER >> It took 9-year-old Kade Lovell longer than expected to finish his 5K race in Minnesota, but only because he was accidentally winning a separate 10K race.
Lovell’s mother became worried when he didn’t cross the finish line of the Francis Franny Flyer 5K in Sartell on Sept. 21. The St. Cloud Times reports she drove along the 5K (3.11mile) route looking for him and was “bawling” when no one else saw him, either.
“I had everyone looking for him, even a fireman,” Heather Lovell said. “I was like, ‘You need to go find my son.’ ”
Then, a spectator called Heather Lovell’s brother-in-law, who was in the 10K race, to let him know there was a “little kid who was running really well” in the 10K (6.21-mile) race.
Kade said a woman told him to keep going when he approached the 5K turn so he did, despite his confusion.
“A lady told me to keep going straight. So I kept going straight,” he said.
Race organizers told Kade’s mother he finished in first place and she thought they meant in his age group. But he was first-place overall. He finished in just over 48 minutes — a minute faster than the 40-year-old secondplace contestant.
“He actually probably did better than he normally does because he was trying to finish and in panic mode,” Heather Lovell said.
Even though he’s only 9 years old, Kade is already an experienced runner. He started running with a cross country club when he was 6.
NIKE PROJECT’S SALAZAR HIT WITH BAN >> Nike Oregon Project coach Alberto Salazar and a Houston endocrinologist who had treated athletes belonging to the Portland-based training group, have been banned for four years for doping violations, according to a report in The Oregonian/OregonLive.
The decision was announced by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and begins immediately. It is the result of a fouryear investigation.
In a prepared statement, the USADA wrote that two, three-member arbitration panels had determined Salazar and Dr Jeffrey Brown should be banned for “orchestrating and facilitating prohibited doping conduct.”
Baseball
ANGELS, AUSMUS PART WAYS >> The Los Angeles Angels have fired manager Brad Ausmus after they went 7290 in his only season after replacing Mike Scioscia.
The Angels made the announcement Monday, a day after the regular season ended.
There are six teams now that have managerial openings — the Giants, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and the Chicago Cubs.
The Angels, who have made the playoffs only once since 2009, were beset by injuries to star Mike Trout, two-way player Shohei Ohtani and others.
Scioscia managed for 19 seasons. Ausmus had previously managed in Detroit.
The dismissal of Ausmus has sparked speculation that former bench coach Joe Maddon — who was let go by the Cubs this weekend — will take over as the Angels’ manager. BUTCHER WON’T RETURN TO D’BACKS >> Pitching coach Mike Butcher will not return to the Arizona Diamondbacks next season.
VIDEOGRAPHER SAVED BY CPR >> A videographer who collapsed from a heart attack in the visiting dugout at Busch Stadium is alive, thanks in part to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch journalist.
The videographer, 64-year-old Mike Flanary, was in the Chicago Cubs’ dugout Sunday before the game the Cardinals eventually won 9-0 to clinch the National League Central title.
Flanary collapsed and was briefly without a pulse. The Post-Dispatch reports that baseball writer Derrick Goold had CPR training as a youth and rushed to help. The Cubs’ training staff and EMTs performed further medical procedures before Flanary was taken to a hospital.
Flanary was in critical but stable condition. He had suffered a heart attack and a stroke.
The stadium doctor on duty, David Tan, said Goold’s CPR “probably saved” Flanary’s life.
MARINERS MAKE COACHING CHANGES >> The Seattle Mariners will not be bringing back third base and outfield coach Chris Prieto and bullpen coach Jim Brower for the 2020 season, while pitching coach Paul Davis is being reassigned within the organization.